Hat-brim-stretching machine



(No Model.) y 4 y W. SIMMONDS & C. LINEGAR. HAT BRIM STRETCHING MACHINE.

NITED 'STATES ATENT rrrce.

VILLIAM SIMMONDS AND CHARLES LINEGAR, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK.

HAT-BRlM-STRETCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent No. 469,489, dated February 23, 1892.

Application tiled fanuary 22, 1891. Serial No. 378,682. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM SIMMGNDS and CHARLES LINEGAR, citizens of the United States, both of Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in HatStretching Machinery, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to machines of the class in which hat-briins are stretched automatically. Its object is to effect this operation by automatic mechanism which traverses an increased distance at each of a series of successive impulses or strokes, so as to stretch the brim more and more at each stroke. This end we attain by certain novel constructions, combinations, and organizations of instrumentalities hereinafter claimed.

In stretching hat-brirns the hat-body, mounted on a former or frame, is thrust under a series of radial pendent yielding ngers pivoted on the frame, while at the same time similar fingers on the hat-former are forced laterally outward to spread out the edge of the hat-body and thus form the brim. United States Letters Patent No. 875,013, granted to W'illiam Simmonds December 20, 1887, illustrate such a machine, where the stretching of the brim is controlled by mechanism operated by hand. By our improvements we effect this operation automatically in the manner hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings show so much of a machine embodying our improvements as is necessary to illustrate their subj ect-matter. Unless otherwise indicated, the construction is well known.

Figure l represents a side elevation with the parts in their normal inactive or retracted position, and Fig. 2 a similar viewwith some parts removed and the others in their advanced or working. position.

A main frame A is shown as supporting a vertical central spindle B, on which the brimstretching apparatus traverses. The only parts necessary to our present purpose are shownas consisting of a former C, to which a series of radial brim-stretching fingers C are pivoted at their upper or inner ends. These fingers are pin-jointed by their respective links c to a ring C2, connected by a series of links or toggles D D D2 to a crank E on driving-shaft f with a rotating shaft g, carrying` a cam G, provided with tappets or Wipersl g g2 g3 of gradually-increasing length,height, or eccentricity in the direction of their rotation. These wipers, it will be observed, are arranged continuously and occupyonlya portion of the periphery of the cam, the remaining portion g4 being concentric with its axis for a purpose hereinafter explained. This cam is shown as actuating a friction-roller h on a springarm H, secured on a rock-shaft I', carrying an eccentric arm or toe I, which at proper times bears on the bar or friction-roller d on the toggle D, pivoted to the ring O2, through which the brim-stretching lingers are actuated. The arm II is made slightly elastic or yielding to prevent the material being bruised or injured in case of obstruction or abnormal strain on the brim-stretching machinery.

Power-driven shafts in factories usually rotate rapidly-say at about two hundred and fifty'revolutions per minute. This being entirely too rapid for our present purposes, it is necessary to employ reducing-gearing--such, for instance, as that shown-which will very much diminish the speed of the cam.

A t the beginning of the operation the parts occupy the position shown in Fig. l,with the former in its lowest position and the toggles clear from the eccentric-arm I. A hat now being applied on the former C, the operator depresses the treadle, thereby lifting the former and hat into the position shown in Fig. 2, which brings the toggle-link D Within range of the slowly-vibrating eccentric-arm I. At this moment the spring-arm H, whichv has been traversing the concentric part g4 of the cam G, encounters the iirst wiper g and through the eccentric-arm I and toggle D forces up the ring C2 and expands the radial fingers C and partially stretches the brim. The roller on the spring-arm then descends between the cam-wipers g g2, momentarily IOO spondingly stretching the brim, as will readily be understood. When this operation is completed, the treadle is raised to depress the former and move the toggles out of contact with the eccentric-arm. The stretched. hat

is then removed, a new hat applied, and the` operation is repeated.

In practice the fingers C co-operate with adjacent interlocking stretching-fingers; but these are not shown in the drawings, as they form no part ot' the invention herein claimed.

By employing a cam to operate the stretching-lingers instead of changing their extent of movement by a hand-lever absolute regularity in the operation of the fingers is effected and the formation of the bri ms is rendered uniform.

Having thus fully described the construction, organization, and operation of our improved hat-stretchin g machine,What we claim therein as new and as of our own invention is- Y l. The combination,substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a former, means for raising and lowering it, hat-brim-stretching devices movable laterally relatively to the former, a power-driven cam carrying wipers gradually increasing in eccentricity or height, and connections between the cam and the hat-brim-stretching devices,wherebyimpulses are imparted to .the hat-brim-stretching devices successively increasing in extent grad ually to stretch the brim.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a hat-former, a series of vibrating radial stretching-fingers pivoted thereto and connected with toggle-links, and a cam carrying wipers of gradually-increasing eccentricity or height to impart to the lingers a series of impulses of gradually-increasing strength or extent.

3. Y The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a main frame, a spindle, a hat-former movable endwise thereon, radial brim-stretching fingers pivoted on this former, an actuating-treadle, toggle-links connecting the treadle and lingers, a rotating cam carrying Wipers of gradually-increasing eccentricity, a crank-arm, its rock-shaft controlled by this cam, and an eccentric-arm on the rockshaft, actuating the brim-stretching fingers.

4.. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of power-driven hat-brimstretching devices, a rota-ting cam,a yielding or spring arm engaging with the cam, and connections between the arm and the brimstretching devices.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names. l v

WILLIAM SIMMONDS. CHARLES LINEGAR. Witnesses:

HYATT L. GARRIsoN, JERE. S. CLARK. 

